Skolars’ second trip to Cumbria in a month saw them gain another vital bonus point after a strong second half comeback.
They fell behind early after ill-discpline saw them concede multiple penalties, which gave Haven possession and field position to score two tries. Paul Cullnean barged through for the first from ten metres. Then after conceding four penalties in two minutes, the defence could stop Lee doran from touching down from a quick penalty.
Skolars responded whenJames Anthony was quick to react after a failed intercept attempt by the Jessie Joe Parker ten metres from the Haven line, getting the ball out to the wing for Ade Adebisi to score against the club he played at for two seasons.
The referee finally lost patience as Skolars conceded more penalties and Mike Worrincy went to the sin-bin. Andreas Bauer scored Whitehaven’s third try straight afterwards and they went in 18-6 ahead at the break. The deficit increased a minute into the second half when Jamie Rooney slipped through the defence and when Loz Hamzat added a fifth try for the Cumbrians after back-to-back penalties, it looked like Skolars were heading for a heavy defeat.
However, after both sides had a player sin-binned after Dave Arnot and Carl Sice had come to blows after a tackle, Skolars started to find a few gaps in the defence. Brad Hopkins raced through on the left flank before Dave Williams used his height to reach over the try line. Rooney, who looked a different player from the one that played for Scorpions in the Northern Rail Cup, added his second try for Haven with fast work after receiving the ball out of the scrum
Not to be outdone, Adebisi scored his second after good work from dummy half by Martyn Smith. Dylan Skee missed a difficult conversion, and with a 14 point deficit it looked like Skolars might miss out on a bonus point.
They secured it in style with the try of the game two minutes before the end. James Anthony made a break from his own half, slipping the ball to Dylan Skee who passed back to Anthony. The full-back raced towards the line before making an inside pass for Mike Worrincy to record his first try for the club, Skee kicking his fourth conversion.
The game also saw the return to the field of Joe Mbu, who has dusted off his boots after a break of nearly 12 months.
WHITEHAVEN
1 Andreas Bauer
2 Craig Calvert
3 Max Wiper
4 Jessie Joe Parker
5 Loz Hamzat
6 Jamie Rooney
7 Ben Karalius
8 Dave Houghton
9 Sam Gee
10 Paul Cullnean
11 Andrew Beattie
12 Lee Doran
13 Carl Rudd
Subs (all used)
14 Carl Sice
15 Luke Isakka
16 Howard Hill
17 Matthew Haggarty
Tries: Cullnean (6), Doran (11), Bauer (26), Rooney (41,68), Hamzat (54)
Goals: Rudd 6/7
Sin-bin: Sice (52) – fighting
LONDON SKOLARS
1 James Anthony
2 John Paxton
3 Joe Price
4 Dave Arnot
5 Ade Adebisi
6 Joe Ridley
7 Dylan Skee
8 Olly Purslow
9 Neil Thorman
10 David Williams
11 Brad Hopkins
12 Mike Worrincy
13 Alex Bate
Subs (all used)
14 Martyn Smith
15 Oliver Bloom
16 Joe Mbu
17 Matt Thomas
Tries: Adebisi (13,77), Hopkins (58), Williams (64), Worrincy (79)
Goals: Skee 4/5
Sin-bin: Worrincy (19) – holding down, Arnot (52) – fighting
Penalty count: 14-11
Half-time: 18-6
Referee: Matt Thomason
Attendance: 647
SCORING SEQUENCE: 6-0, 12-0, 12-6, 18-6, 24-6, 26-6, 30-6, 30-18, 36-18, 36-22, 36-28
